


I want to know

by SeasOfRhye



Category: Tales of Berseria
Genre: Angst, Gen, and a lot of it, save me from the problematic faves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 15:03:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11808408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeasOfRhye/pseuds/SeasOfRhye
Summary: There's a reason Seres wears that mask.-Oneshot, Pre-Berseria.





	I want to know

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for forcing me to get an account dunyazad ilu
> 
> bUt hello everyone it's nice to finally be here <3

She's quiet, like she always is. Her heels seem to float above, rather than tap against, the floor. It's the soft creak of the door that she opens, rather than any sound she herself makes, that proves she exists.

It's almost like she’s dead.

He makes sure to chide himself for the thought—a foolish one, for sure—before he looks over his shoulder. "Seres." He says. "Have you found anything yet?"

She shakes her head, her fiery locks swaying in tandem. "Nothing yet, Master. I will continue searching."

"Yes. Good." He wonders if his hearing's going, for he can barely hear his own voice (another illogical thought; he's perfectly healthy, as far as he knows). And now he's standing, when he should be sitting, and now he's looking right into her eyes, when he swore he never would again.

 _You have work to do._ He tells himself.

"Seres." He repeats.

She looks up at him. Was she always this short? He could have sworn she was taller.

He pushes the thought away, for....what? There's no point in opening his mouth, unless it's to order her to continue her search (which he already did and should continue to do in the case that she doesn't get the message, but she always does, she's loyal, very loyal—).

"Have you been to the shrine?" He asks before he can stop himself.

She purses her lips. "No...do you believe that there's something important to be found there?" Her eyes lock with his almost curiously, large and round and both colors that they shouldn't be. "I can check it, if you wish."

And suddenly, he wants to yell. No, he wants to scream—he wants to scream the way he screamed that night when she fell and his sword couldn't do anything but fall out of his hands but that was his fault, _his_ fault, and what should he do now? She's here right now, but she's not, and how can he protect her? It's too late, all too late, it is, it isn't, but either way she's right here right _here_ and would it be so terrible if he could just reach out and tuck the hair behind her ear like he used to and pretend that it's all worth it—

The thoughts rip through his mind for a mere fraction of a second before they're shut down, battered away by a steel wave of suppression. Of course—because what are they, really? Foolish, unreasonable, unproductive. He's been taught better.

So instead, he simply shakes his head. "No, no. Don't trouble yourself over it. There's nothing important there."

The next morning, on the way to pick up Laphicet's medicine, he stops to speak to the shopkeep. He leans forward and asks a question. The shopkeep nods. "Of course, sir."

It arrives a few days later. He can see it as he approaches—it's sturdy and emblazoned with gold, such that it glows beneath the morning light. "This is quite impressive." He remarks. "Thank you."

"It is, isn't it?" The shopkeep gives him a hearty smile. "So who's it for, anyway? Velvet?"

Arthur lets the silence answer for him.

Later on, when he calls Seres to him, she’s the first one to speak. “My apologies, Master. I haven’t yet determined a method by which to form contracts with all four Empyreans.” She pauses. “If they truly are all slumbering, then—”

“It’s fine.” He hears himself say. It’s a truth he’s long accepted, anyway. “I have something for you.”

“Hm?” She blinks, and he swears that he sees a glint in her eyes, just a slight one—but of course not.

“Come.” He beckons her over and lifts the mask from the table behind him. When he places it on her face, his fingers linger for just a moment (but not really, he thinks; he’s just imagining things) before he removes them.

He breaks the silence between them before it becomes too deafening. “It suits you well.”

Seres nods. She does not ask any questions.

“You can continue your search, if you’d like. If you haven’t found anything after all this time, however, then it seems that we’ll only have one choice.”

“Very well. I shall do as you command, Master.” She nods again and vanishes, leaving him staring into emptiness, alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah so the fact that Artorius (or Arty, as I like to call him) didn't get more backstory in Berseria is a war crime pass it on
> 
> Okay maybe not seriously but I love this guy way too much help so behold I am here to share my 1AM angst with the world 
> 
> Tbh though more backstory on Arty and Seres's relationship would have been great but oH WELL that's what writing is for right guys
> 
> save me
> 
> Also, thanks again to dunyazad! Both for betaing this and encouraging me to post it c:


End file.
